Choices Made
by kenyancougar
Summary: Oliver Queen is the Arrow! To get to where he is today he had to make a series of choices. Those choices began before most people think. Join me on a journey where we see how the Arrow was born, on Lian Yu!
1. Chapter 1: The Gambit

**AN: This story is going to explore the choices that Oliver has made and where those choices have led him. Please enjoy this wild ride.**

**Mic RiddyBannon thank you for you Beta assistance. Also, Mic and Rennie75, THANK YOU for all of your encouragement. You are awesome.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing Arrow, it belongs to CW.**

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**Chapter 1: The Gambit**

Oliver Queen was anxious to get out to sea on the Gambit. He and his Dad were going out for some 'quality time', however, Oliver fully intended on spending the entire trip in his cabin with the lovely Sara Lance. Yes, he was in a relationship with Laurel, Sara's sister, but she was so demanding. They had recently broached the topic of moving in together and there was no way Oliver was ready to relinquish all his freedom just for her. This was why he had chosen to invite Sara to go with him, so he could enjoy doing whatever he wanted to with her before he had to discuss moving in with Laurel again.

It was all Oliver could do to not start pacing as he said goodbye to his Mom on the dock. That was until Laurel showed up. _I should have known she'd come by. Better tell Sara to drive around the block. _He thought as he pulled out his phone to call Sara. He hung up just as Laurel walked up to him to give him a big hug. Laurel told him that she couldn't wait for him to get back and hoped that he enjoyed the trip with his Dad. Finally, after what seemed like forever to Oliver, they were able to board the Gambit and head out. He had been able to sneak Sara on board without his Dad seeing her, but knew that he wouldn't mind. _Not like he can do anything about it now since we've already left. _He thought with a grin.

The first few days of the voyage went by without a hitch. There were calm seas and blue skies, easy sailing. Oliver and Sara were thoroughly enjoying their time together, including the multiple bottles of wine that he had been careful to make sure were stocked on the ship. In Oliver's mind there was nothing better than a beautiful woman and a great bottle of wine.

The storm seemed to come out of nowhere. The skies went black and the sea got really rough in a matter of minutes. It was pouring with rain, there was a lot of lightning and thunder, and the yacht was pitching back and forth with the force of the waves. Oliver had stepped out of his cabin for a few minutes and met his Dad in the hallway. A crew member had just informed him that the storm was a Category 2 and that they should head back.

"Are we in trouble?" Oliver asked his Dad.

"One of us is." Robert replied seeing Sara coming out of Oliver's cabin barely dressed and in simply her undergarments and a small robe. Clearly she was trying to get Oliver's attention - again.

"Ollie, where do you keep the bottle opener on this thing?" Sara asked. She had been waiting for Ollie to come back and enjoy a bottle of wine with her and had grown impatient so had gone looking for him.

"I'll be there in a minute Sara." Oliver said with a grin. _Nothing more beautiful that a gorgeous woman wearing not much more than a small robe and a smile. _He thought.

"You know son, that is not going to finish well" Robert stated, placing a hand on Oliver's back. He knew that his son had made a poor choice in bringing Sara, Laurel's sister, on board without telling anyone. He simply hoped his son would be able to get himself out of it when they got back to Starling City. "For either of them or for you."

Oliver laughed as he shrugged off Robert's comment and headed back to his cabin. He wasn't worried, things always worked out for him in some way. He stepped back through the door and shut it behind him, ready to enjoy another quiet evening with Sara. Well, as quiet as it would get with that thunder.

They sat on Oliver's bed, enjoying the wine as Sara counted seconds between each clap of thunder. It sounded like it was getting closer and it felt like the yacht was rocking more each minute. She was starting to get really worried that the boat was going spring a leak or something. Neither of them expected what really happened.

Suddenly the hull of the yacht shook violently, shuddering from bow to stern. Oliver and Sara looked to each other just as the yacht tilted vertically, throwing everything in the room to one side. Sara screamed as she hit the wall a couple of feet away from Oliver. He reached out for her, to pull her to him, just as a massive groan was heard and a crack opened up right between them.

"Sara!" Oliver screamed and he watched as the force of the water combined with half of the Gambit sinking right from under them sucked Sara out of the ship with a scream and into the cold ocean water below. Before he had much chance to process what was happening he found himself drifting in the open sea, watching as the Gambit sunk to the bottom of the ocean. It took a few moments before he realized that his Dad was calling to him, trying to get his attention.

"Oliver!" Robert called to his son who was drifting in the cold ocean water. He knew he had to get Oliver into the life raft quickly to keep his son from freezing. His heart almost broke as Oliver turned, as soon as he was in the raft, to the remainder of the sinking boat and called out for Sara. Robert knew that there was no way anyone else could survive. _Frankly I'm surprised that even Oliver made it out._ He thought as he held his son, thankful that Oliver was still alive.

They spent hours, drifting, just Robert, Oliver and one of the crew members. They only had a small bit of fresh water, _nowhere __near enough for three people,_ Robert thought as he watched his son. Oliver was sitting, holding his life vest, drifting in and out of sleep.

Robert knew that it was because of the choices that he had made that they were here, in this situation, in the middle of the ocean. He suspected that it was not the storm that had caused the Gambit to go down. He had spent years sailing on numerous occasions and this particular storm should not have opened up the yacht like a can of tuna like it had. As he watched Oliver he realized that despite the choices he had made in the past, all the wrong choices that had led them to this, he had to do something to try and make this right. It was then that he decided what to do.

"Son, I'm so sorry, I thought I'd have more time. I'm not the man you think I am." At Oliver's look of utter confusion Robert realized that he simply _had_ to make his son understand. "I didn't build our city, I failed it, and I wasn't the only one."

They drifted until the storm stopped. Robert sat with his arm around Oliver who was holding onto his life vest, trying to keep himself warm. Robert realized, looking at the crew member who was now guarding the supply chest, that there was no way all three of them would make it with the meager supplies that they had. That was when he knew it was time to make his last choice. He was choosing to save his son.

"There's not enough for all of us." Robert leaned in to tell Oliver.

"Save your strength." Oliver replied tiredly.

"You can survive this, make it home." Robert told his son. He was determined that Oliver would make it home, alive. Make it better, right my wrongs. But you've gotta live through this first. You hear me Ollie, you hear me son?"

"Just rest Dad." Oliver wasn't sure what his Dad was rambling about and figured it was just the dehydration getting to him.

Robert pulled the pistol out and pointed it at the crew member before shooting him. The force of the gunshot sent the man over the side of the raft into the churning water.

Oliver could not believe what he had just seen his Dad do. He had just watched his Dad shoot a man and Oliver wasn't sure why. He looked to his Dad in horror as the man turned the gun and put it to his own head. Just before he pulled the trigger he heard him say "Survive."

Oliver sat there for what could have been hours, or days he wasn't sure. At some point he wrapped his Dad in a tarp that was on the raft to keep the seagulls from getting to him. The smell was repulsing but Oliver refused to toss him over the side. _I can't leave him to sink to the bottom of the ocean__!_ Oliver thought as he tried not to vomit from the smell churning his stomach.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Oliver looked up to see an island in the distance. It seemed like the raft was being drawn to it and Oliver was simply thankful that he would be able to get out of the raft and off the rocking waves. As Oliver pulled himself onto the beach he was extremely grateful to be on solid ground. He was extremely parched, and starving, and was hoping he could find some fresh water to drink. He managed to make a small shelter out of sticks, leaves and vines that helped keep the sun from beating down on him.

As Oliver was resting in the shade he heard the seagulls again. Looking around he saw them circling the raft that he had abandoned and had finally washed up on the beach. He ran over to see his Dad's body but this time was not able to stop the nausea as the smell hit him full force. He stumbled away from the raft and violently emptied his stomach of the precious little that was there.

Once Oliver's stomach was empty, and he was no longer dry heaving, he pulled his Dad's body from the raft and began to make his way up to a cliff that overlooked the ocean. _No matter what he had done, or thinks he had__ done, he at least deserves a burial._ Oliver thought as he finally made it to the cliff. As he positioned his Dad's body he noticed a notebook in Robert's pants pocket. He pulled it out before looking around, noticing several rocks that he thought would work he began to bury his Dad underneath of them. Burying his own Dad on a deserted Island in the middle of the ocean was not something he ever saw himself doing and he couldn't stop the tears that started to flow down his face while he worked.

Once Oliver felt like his Dad's body was covered enough he gave in to the exhaustion and stood for just a moment, Suddenly he felt a piercing pain in his right shoulder and looked down to see an arrow protruding. Just as he felt like he was going to pass out from the exhaustion, dehydration, lack of food and his new injury he looked up to see a man with long hair and a beard, holding a bow and wearing a quiver, standing just down the hill from him.

In those few moments before Oliver lost consciousness he thought, _I never should have made the choice to board the Gambit._

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**AN: Thank you for reading! Please leave me a quick review to let me know what you thought of this! Thanks :D**


	2. Chapter 2: Shēngcún

**AN: I apologize for the delay in posting this next chapter! Real Life has been a bit crazy recently!**

**Thank you all for your support already! The fav's, follows and reviews are awesome!**

**Mic RiddyBanon, thank you for the quick beta on this! Mic and Rennie75, thanks to the both of your for your continued, amazing, wonderful support.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Arrow :( It belongs to CW!**

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_Once Oliver felt like his Dad's body was covered enough he gave in to the exhaustion and stood for just a moment, Suddenly he felt a piercing pain in his right shoulder and looked down to see an arrow protruding. Just as he felt like he was going to pass out from the exhaustion, dehydration, lack of food and his new injury he looked up to see a man with long hair and a beard, holding a bow and wearing a quiver, standing just down the hill from him._

_In those few moments before Oliver lost consciousness he thought, I never should have made the choice to board the Gambit._

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**Chapter 2 - Shēngcún**

When Oliver came to after being shot by the arrow he opened his eyes to a wall of rock. As he tried to look around, blinking repeatedly due to the light in his eyes, he realized that he was lying on the floor of a cave. As he slowly sat up, due to his wound, he looked down to see the arrowhead still protruding from his shoulder.

Oliver let out a grunt of pain as he turned towards the mouth of the cave where a man was just entering. He recognized the man as the one who shot him with the arrow as he was still carrying the bow, was still wearing the hood, and had the quiver still strapped to his back

"Who are you?" Oliver asked weakly. He didn't realize when he first landed on the island that there were others there as well and had been taken completely by surprise when he realized he was not alone.

The man slowly walked towards Oliver, taking his hood off and kneeling down so that they were at eye level.

"Why'd you shoot me?" Oliver asked as he watched the other man approach.

The man responded in some weird language as he picked up a bowl of water and what looked like some dried leaves. He pushed them towards Oliver insistently, clearly wanting Oliver to eat and drink what he was offering.

Oliver finally decided to do what the man was clearly asking. He grabbed a small pinch of the dried leaves and put it in his mouth. It tasted so bitter that he almost spat it out before he could get a drink of water. Just as Oliver finished drinking the man reached over and quickly pulled the remainder of the arrow from Oliver's shoulder which caused the younger man to scream out in pain.

It was some time later that Oliver woke again in the cave. As he looked around he noticed that the man who had shot him with an arrow, then taken it out of his shoulder, was sleeping across the cave. He grimaced in pain as he slowly started to move as his shoulder was still in a great amount of pain. Once he was able to stand he quickly made his way out of the cave. He tried to get away from the other man as quickly as he could as he didn't know what else the man would do to him.

Oliver ran, away from the cave and through the woods, as quickly as he could tripping over tree roots and other shrubbery. He didn't know how far, or for how long he ran. He was simply trying to get as far away from the cave, and that man, as he could. He stopped at the top of a hill to catch his breath. Between the running, the dehydration, and the arrow wound in his shoulder he was having trouble catching his breath.

Oliver stumbled along for a few more feet before coming to a complete stop. He looked around for a moment as he listened to the rustling of the trees. Suddenly he heard a creak and looked up, not knowing what or where it had come from. Only seconds later Oliver heard a whooshing sound and found himself caught in a net hanging several feet above the ground.

Oliver sat suspended in that net for what seemed like forever. He hung there so long that he actually fell asleep, causing him to fail to notice when someone walked up next to him. He suddenly woke when he felt the net move right in front of his face and he started when he realized that a large knife was in front of him. As he looked around he noticed that the man that had shot him with the arrow was now standing next to the net. The sudden movement caused pain to flair in his shoulder yet again. _Will that ever stop hurting?_ He thought as he let out a grunt of pain.

The man said a few words to Oliver before walking away and Oliver thought that he was going to still be stuck in that net even longer. He was caught completely by surprise when the net started to fall to the ground and he could not help the cry of pain as he hit the ground. The turned to the man as he said a few more words, _maybe in Chinese?_ before the man walked away. _**  
**_

Oliver was thankful to the man for letting him out of the net. However, he was still happy when he walked away. He had not been able to figure out what that man was up to as he had hurt him, before then saving him - twice. _**  
**_

Just as the man walked out of sight Oliver heard a sound over to his right. He turned quickly to see where the sound had come from before deciding he was better off to go back to the weird man in the cave. Oliver chose to quickly make his way after him and rolled to get up off the ground, crying out in pain at the pressure to his still injured shoulder.

When Oliver got back to the cave he sat and pulled out the picture that he carried in his pocket of Laurel. He was still looking at it when the other man walked into the cave carrying a basket that had a bird in it and set it next to him. Pointing at the bird, _a pheasant maybe_, the man said something before turning and walking away.

"What am I supposed to do with that?" Oliver asked, confused as to what the man intended for him to do with a live bird.

The man turned and said the word again, like he was getting agitated.

"Does that mean bird?" Oliver asked, getting irritated.

The other man simply looked at him and yelled the word at him. Clearly he was irritated now.

"I don't speak Chinese!" Oliver yelled back at him. Frustrated that he couldn't understand him, and the man clearly did not understand him either. This time the man just ignored him and turned away from Oliver.

"I'm sorry Laurel." Oliver said quietly as he looked back to his picture of her. "I'm so sorry!" He then sat there for quite a while as the man cooked something over the fire. It smelled good and Oliver was getting even hungrier.

"What is that?" Oliver asked, barely getting a look from the older man in response. He started to stand to walk over to the fire. "I'm so hungry. It smells really good." Oliver then reached to take the stick with the food on it from the man.

Oliver did _not_ expect the other man's reaction. With lightning speed the other man grabbed his hand and threw him back eliciting a scream of pain as, not only did his shoulder hurt from the sudden movement and impact with the ground, but now his hand hurt as well.

"Fine, don't share." Oliver said, out of breath from landing hard on the floor of the cave. As he sat back up he looked to the other man, who was now looking at him as well. The man pointed to the bird in the cage before making a motion with his hands before repeating the word. _He wants me to break that birds neck!. _He thought with dread as he realized that the motion could only have one meaning. He had never killed anything before in his life.

"I'm not going to kill the bird." Oliver said after looking to the bird in the cage.

The man simply looked at him and repeated the word yet again. Oliver could finally hear what he was saying clearly. "Shēngcún."

Oliver sat there for what seemed like hours just staring at the bird, trying to decide what to do. _I don't want to kill the poor bird, but I don't want to starve either._ He thought as he argued with himself.

"Hey, please..." Oliver said quietly to the man a while later. "I'm starving." He really did not want to have to kill that poor bird. "I've never killed anything before."

As the man continued to ignore him Oliver realized that he only had one choice if he was going to survive. After struggling with the choice that he had to make for a few more moments he reached over and moved his right arm that he had elevated next to him and turned to the cage sitting to his left. Reaching underneath he pulled the bird out and held it in front of him.

"I'm sorry." Oliver said sadly to the bird before looking up and away with a grimace as he twisted the bird's neck and knew that the bird was now dead as he heard the snap of its neck. As he looked down to the dead bird in his hands he felt horrible for the fact that he had just ended the poor bird's life.

Oliver cooked the bird with help from the other man, as he had no real idea what it was he was supposed to do next. As he sat there eating the man walked over towards Oliver and sat down across from him. _**  
**_

"Shēngcún." The man said quietly again.

"Bird." Oliver said with irritation around the food in his mouth. "I know."

"Shēngcún not mean bird." The man said slowly in English, earning a glare from Oliver. "Shēngcún mean survive."

"You speak English?" Oliver asked incredulously, now confused.

"You want survive this place." He said seriously. "Bird _not_ last thing you kill. And _forget_ her." He said as he held up Oliver's picture of Laurel. "You look at that _all_ day, you will not survive this place."**  
**

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**AN: Please leave me a review to let me know what you think about this chapter! Your opinion means a LOT to me!**


	3. Chapter 3: Breathe

**AN: Thank you all for your wonderful support! It is very much appreciated!**

**Rennie75, thank you for your beta assistance.**

**Warning: Mentions of torture!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Arrow :(**

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_"Sh__ē__ngc__ú__n." The man said quietly again._

_"Bird." Oliver said with irritation around the food in his mouth. "I know."_

_"Sh__ē__ngc__ú__n not mean bird." The man said slowly in English, earning a glare from Oliver. "Sh__ē__ngc__ú__n mean survive."_

_"You speak English?" Oliver asked incredulously, now confused._

_"You want survive this place." He said seriously. "Bird not last thing you kill. And forget her." He said as he held up Oliver's picture of Laurel. "You look at that all day, you will not survive this place._

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**Chapter 3 - Breathe**

The next morning Oliver went out with the other man who he had learned was Yao Fei. The first thing that they did was go hunting. Oliver watched as Yao Fei shot a rabbit with an arrow, hitting it perfectly the first time.

"Dinner." Yao Fei said as he pointed to the now dead rabbit.

"Ah, come..." Oliver said, not wanting to go get the dead animal. "Hey, I got an idea. Why don't you let me shoot that thing and you can go pick up the bloody, dead, disgusting animal." Oliver said as he turned to the other man.

"What?" Oliver asked in surprise when Yao Fei simply held out his bow.

"Fine. Breathe." Yao Fei responded as he looked at Oliver. "Everything breathe. Breathe, aim, fire." He said as he demonstrated how to draw the bow, and then release. He then handed the bow to Oliver and pulled an arrow out of the quiver on his back to hand to him as well.

Oliver took the bow, not sure of how to use it. _It can't be that hard, Yao Fei does it all the time._ He thought as he took the arrow.

"Aim that tree." Yao Fei told Oliver as he pointed out the target.

The target wasn't that far away and Oliver thought that should be easy to hit. Oliver furrowed his brows as he looked to the target. _I can do this._ He thought as he looked down and nocked the arrow.

"Breathe." Yao Fei reminded him as he pulled the string back as far as he could before releasing the arrow. The arrow went to the right and beyond the target tree. _Ok, that's harder than it looks._ Oliver thought as he found a new sense of respect for the man next to him.

Yao Fei said something else in Mandarin.

"What does that mean?" Oliver asked, getting irritated that the other man kept speaking in a language that he did not understand.

"You will die badly." Yao Fei translated for his young student as Oliver rolled his eyes at the man. "Get." He told Oliver as he pointed towards where the arrow had gone.

Oliver could not believe that he still had to go hunt down that stupid arrow, after being insulted. He turned to Yao Fei to argue but the look on the other man's face clearly said that there was no room for discussion, this is how it was going to be. He resignedly handed the bow back to Yao Fei and went to retrieve the arrow that he had lost.

Finally Oliver found the arrow, embedded in a fallen tree trunk. However, just as he was reaching down to pick it up someone grabbed him, putting a hand over his mouth. Two men then cuffed his hands in front of him and dragged him through the woods.

After what had felt like forever Oliver was pulled into a camp of sorts. There were several men visible and all of them were wearing the same black clothes and masks. They were all also carrying guns and this worried Oliver. He had thought that Yao Fei and he were the only ones on this island. Clearly he was wrong, they were not alone and he was the only one that was not armed.

They had only walked into camp a few yards before another man pulled up the top to what ended up being a bamboo cage. Oliver only knew this because they dragged him over to the side of the cage before one of the men 'escorting' him kicked him in the back of the knees, causing him to fall onto his knees. They then pushed him into the hole in the ground before closing the lid made out of bamboo bars.

"Wait! Wait!" Oliver cried to his captors as he pulled himself up to the top of his cage. "You can't do this to me, please!" One of the men walked up to him and slammed the butt of his gun down on Oliver's hands where he was holding the bars to his prison. He cried out in pain as he released his hold and fell back down into the hole. "AHHH, Please! I didn't do anything!" He yelled after the men as they walked away.

After what had felt like hours the men came back and roughly pulled Oliver from his cell. They escorted him farther into the camp. As they made their way through the camp Oliver saw hundreds of armed men walking around. It looked like a military camp of sorts.

They escorted him to a tent in the middle of the camp and pushed him through the open flaps. As his eyes adjusted to the dimmer lighting he looked around, confused. They finally stopped pushing him around when he hit the pole in the center of the tent.

"Please, sit. You're making me feel rude." Oliver heard a voice with what sounded like a British accent in front of him say. As he looked up he saw another man, in the same black clothing, sitting behind a desk.

Oliver lowered himself slowly, painfully, into the chair across from the other man.

"I do apologize for my men's treatment of you." The man said as he popped open a soda can. "They're trained to view any stranger as hostile." He continued as he poured the drink over some ice in a glass, making Oliver even more thirstier than he was previously. "I'm Edward Fyers by the way. And you are?" He asked as he leaned back in his chair.

"I'm Oliver Queen." Oliver responded after a second as he looked at Fyers. "I'm shipwrecked here. I don't know...for how long. My family has money, lots of money. You would be... be really well compensated for my rescue." Oliver said tiredly.

"Well, I look forward to that." Fyers said with a smile. "But for the moment let's just talk."

"About what?" Oliver asked the man.

"Well, for instance..." Fyers said as he turned to grab something off of a crate behind him. He had grabbed a picture of a man in a uniform and held it for Oliver to see. "...this gentleman. Do you know him?"

Oliver recognized Yao Fei in the picture as soon as he spotted him, despite the fact that he was clean shaven in the picture and yet had long hair and a full beard now. However, something told him not to trust this man. That is why he responded the way that he did.

"No." Oliver said as convincingly as he could.

"No?" Fryer's asked, clearly trying to get a 'yes' out of Oliver.

"No." Oliver said as he shook his head, before looking down again to the picture. "Who is he?"

"You're a poor liar." Fyers said to Oliver as he looked him in the eyes making Oliver's heart rate to increase. He didn't know what this man had planned and he was more unsure of his intentions the longer he sat here.

"I've been polite." Fryer's said as he set the picture down and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms across his chest. "I'll offer you one more chance before my manners leave me."

"Hey, hey." Oliver said as he leaned forward and pointed to the man in the picture. "I...I don't know this guy. I thought I was on this island all by myself." He said as he tried to convince Fyers that he was telling the truth.

"Do you know what this Island is named?" Fyers asked Oliver slowly. "We're on Lian Yu. Mandarin for Purgatory. But I can make it feel like Hell." He said as he stood from his seat. "I don't know why you're protecting him. You're young, foolish. Perhaps you don't know why either."

Oliver sat with his back to Fyers, listening to what he had to say as his dread grew. He knew that whatever happened was not going to be good. He also realized that whatever this man wanted with Yao Fei was not good either.

"Think on that when you're begging for death." Fryer's said as he left the tent. As he walked through the flap Oliver heard him tell someone. "He's yours now."

That was the moment that Oliver made the conscious decision to not give anything away about Yao Fei. The man may not have always been nice to him, but he had kept him alive up until now, treating his wounds and helping him get food and water. Oliver knew he owed Yao Fei for his life and decided that he would return the favor now, despite what, or who, was about to walk through the tent flaps.

Oliver turned around and his heart dropped. He didn't know what to expect. However, he was not expecting this. A tall, muscular man walked in. He was wearing a mask, but it was different from the ones all the other men were wearing. It was half black, and half yellow. This man had a sword strapped to his back, a gun in his hand, and more weapons on a strap across his chest. Oliver knew that things were about to get much worse.

It was only a moment later when a couple of other men came in and pulled Oliver to his feet. They un-cuffed his hands only to tie them above his head to the pole in the center of the tent. Just as they were finishing Fyers walked in again. Once he was sure that Oliver was secure he turned to the man in the yellow and black mask, who was now holding his sword in his hand, and nodded. Clearly giving the go ahead to continue.

The man reached out with a gloved hand and pulled aside Oliver's shirt before slowly sliding his sword in. Oliver screamed out in pain. He had thought that the arrow to his shoulder had hurt, well, that was nothing compared to the white hot pain in his abdomen at the moment.

It was in that moment that Oliver remembered Yao Fei's lesson from that morning. Breathe. He figured that lesson would apply here as well and chose to try to just breathe despite the pain from the sword in his side. The man then slowly pulled the sword out but then used it to give Oliver another cut across the left side of his chest, about where his heart would be, eliciting yet another scream of pain. Again and again the sword was drawn across his flesh, causing him to scream out over and over in pain and Oliver simply tryied to remember to breathe. Finally, mercifully, the man stopped.

"Amazing." Fyers said as he walked up and got in Oliver's face. "You have resolve I didn't credit you for."

Oliver only glared at him in response. When he had first met Fyers he had thought that maybe, just maybe, he had gotten a way off this island. Now, though, he realized that he had been wrong. In this moment, when Fryers was in his face again, he decided that he hated this man and he knew that given the chance he would choose to hurt Fyers as much as he had been hurt.

"Or perhaps." Fyers continued to talk, as he held the picture of Yao Fei in his hand. "He truly doesn't know anything. You should put him out of his misery." He said to the man in the mask as he turned to leave the tent yet again.

Oliver was surprised, however, when instead of being able to leave the tent Fyers was knocked down as soon as he reached the entrance. A second later Oliver recognized Yao Fei as he came in, with his hood and bow, and released Oliver from his bonds with a well-placed arrow to the ropes that held him.

Oliver fell to the floor of the tent. He was too weak to hold himself up, or even move, after the events of the last couple of hours.

Yao Fei shot an arrow at the man in the mask and who caught the arrow before snapping it in half. The masked man then advanced towards Yao Fei, drawing his sword as he went. Oliver heard sounds of fighting behind where he fell on the floor, his back to the fighting men. It sounded like a very intense battle was being waged right behind him.

Oliver slowly started to pull himself up and was a bit surprised when Yao Fei ran to him and helped him up and quickly helped him out of the camp. Finally they made it back to the cave and Oliver laid down with a cry of pain.

"I tell you Island dangerous. But you not tell them where to find me. You stronger than I thought." Yao Fei said as he pulled out a leather pouch and gave it to Oliver. "Take it, I lead them off, you stay." He turned to walk out of the cave. Just as he reached the entrance he turned to say one last thing to Oliver. "Remember, everything breathe. You breathe you survive here longer."

Oliver slowly got up from where he was sitting, unable to keep in the grunts of pain as he did so.

"I'm coming with you." Oliver said as he walked towards the mouth of the cave on unsteady feet. He didn't want to be left alone, to leave the man who had rescued him to those men. He was stopped however when a boulder was dropped into the mouth of the cave, keeping him from leaving.

Oliver sat back down in the back of the cave and thought about everything that had happened that day. He knew he had made the right choice not to give away any information about Yao Fei, even if it did mean he now had even more injuries. He decided then and there that he would always protect those who needed protecting. As he started to doze off Yao Fei's words replayed in his head. _Everything breathe. You breathe you survive here longer._ Oliver knew that he would always remember that lesson and he chose to never stop breathing.

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**AN: Please leave me a review and let me know what you thought!**


	4. Chapter 4: Responsibility

**AN: Sorry for the long wait for an update. I had been without internet at my house for a couple of weeks and just got it last night. YAY! Anyway, thank you all for your support and reviews! **

**Rennie75, Thank you for yet another awesomely fast turn around on this chapter! I really appreciate everything you do to help and encourage me!**

**Disclaimer: If you don't know it by now then... Yeah, still don't own Arrow!**

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_Oliver sat back down in the back of the cave and thought about everything that had happened that day. He knew he had made the right choice not to give away any information about Yao Fei, even if it did mean he now had even more injuries. He decided then and there that he would always protect those who needed protecting. As he started to doze off Yao Fei's words replayed in his head. Everything breathe. You breathe you survive here longer. Oliver knew that he would always remember that lesson and he chose to never stop breathing._

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**Chapter 4 - Responsibility**

Oliver laid in the cave but he didn't know how long. He had huddled next to the fire to stay warm, using pages from his Dad's notebook to keep the fire going. Suddenly someone grabbed him from behind. He turned quickly to see his Dad standing there.

"Dad?" Oliver questioned, shocked and confused. He distinctly remembered burying his Father not long after he got to the island. He quickly moved away to stand on the other side of the cave in shock. "You died."

"I asked you, I _begged_ you to survive." Robert said to Oliver. "But if you don't think you can, there's still one bullet left." He said as he pulled the revolver out and held it towards Oliver.

Oliver looked at the revolver that his Dad was offering him. He knew as he reached out to take the gun that this was the logical choice. At this rate he was never going to get out of this cave, much less off the island.

"But Oliver, my death is made meaningless by yours." His Dad said as he passed him the weapon.

"I'm starving. I'm going to die anyway, and I just want it to be quick." Oliver told his Dad after looking at him for a moment. "I want it to be quick like yours was." He said, the emotion evident in his voice.

"You can survive this!" His Dad said in a loud whisper, hoping his son would understand what he was trying to tell him.

"No I can't." Oliver argued, knowing his Dad was wrong. "I'm not as strong as you think I am, and I'm sorry." Oliver said, holding back the tears as he raised the revolver to his temple, just like his Dad had.

Oliver was frustrated when the gun didn't go off when he pulled the trigger. He threw it down angrily onto the cave floor, mad that he had been unable to get out of this.

"Of course it doesn't work." Oliver said irritably. "I'm hallucinating. I'm dreaming."

"What if you weren't?" His Dad asked seriously. "You betrayed me Oliver. I died so that you could live and you threw that gift away. You made that sacrifice empty." He said, trying to get through to his son.

"I'm not you." Oliver said, feeling shame and regret at the fact that he wasn't as strong as his Dad. "I'm not as... I'm not strong like you. I never was."

"I told you. I'm not the man you think I am. The things I've done. What I was about to do." Robert explained as he turned away from Oliver.

"Dad." Oliver exclaimed, tears evident in his voice. "Dad! What does that mean? Please, I don't know what it means." He said, trying to understand what his Dad was trying to tell him.

"I told you... I begged you." Robert said, pointing a finger at Oliver and raising his voice to get his point across. "_Right my wrongs!" _He yelled at his son. "This is your responsibility now."

"How?" Oliver asked quietly. Not knowing how to accomplish his Dad's dying wish. "How do I do this? I can't even get off this island."

Robert reached out and placed his hands on Oliver's shoulders as he continued to explain. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth about me. But I hope..." He swallowed as he tried to find the right words to tell Oliver what was in his heart. "I hope that you know that I love you."

Oliver shook his head. He heard what his Dad was telling him, and believed him. Of course his Dad loved him, he gave his life so that Oliver could live.

Oliver woke with a start, gasping for air. He looked frantically around from his place on the floor of the cave by the fire, looking for his Dad. When he was nowhere to be found Oliver realized he had been dreaming. After a moment he finally had his breathing almost back to normal. He reached for his Dad's notebook to add more fuel to the fire when for some reason he paused, holding the page he had just ripped out over the flame. After mere seconds, writing started to appear on the page in his hands. He was shocked, he thought the notebook was empty as he couldn't see any writing on the pages. _It must be invisible ink_. He thought, still surprised.

As Oliver looked at the page in his hands he realized that there had to be writing on more pages in the book. He quickly opened it and held it close to the fire, when more names appeared in the book it finally dawned on Oliver what his Dad had meant.

"My responsibility." Oliver said as he stared at the pages full of names before him. He finally understood. Finally knew what he had to do. "I promise Dad. I promise!" He said, determinedly.

It was in that moment that Oliver chose to survive, no matter what. To take on the responsibility of righting his families wrongs. To honor the memory of his Father.

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